Tribune Cuts 142 Jobs

I found out Monday I would be laid off January 1, 2009. I have worked at the Tribune Newspaper for 19 years and 9 months.

I am one of 142 people laid off at the East Valley Tribune Newspaper. That is 40 percent of our entire company and this is our 4th round of layoffs since Jan. 1, 2008.

If there is a silver lining at least we were notified in advance. Our last day is January 1, 2009 and then we will begin to receive our severance package.

I worked as a photographer for 15 years then was called upon to work the assignment desk. After a year or so, I was promoted to Director of Photography. At its peak, I managed 12 people. It has been a great ride and yes I'm sad it is over but I will move forward to new and greater challenges.

It is clear that some people have strong opinions on the newspaper industry and I respect that right.

This is mine!

I am proud of what I have done in this industry. It has provided a stable
environment for my wife and kids. My sons grew with their father having one job in one town. Is this how I envisioned the end? Of course not! I never thought I would be the stereotypical statistic, 55 years old and unemployed after a lifetime in one occupation.

I have had the opportunity to see and experience life with an all access pass. I have photographed a World Series, a Super Bowl, Presidential visits, the saddest and greatest moments in life and everything in between. I have done stories on people who needed help and I have made a difference to people I have touched.

I made a difference not because of me but because I worked for the
Newspaper. I am passionate man who is committed to humanity and this profession. I was given this privilege for 20 years to serve the people of our communities. I truly believe, I did the best I could.

Sure I can tell you all the bad things about this industry. They are true! I have said this job is like "loving a women that doesn't love you back". That is a fact, not some bullshit I made up.

I hope to continue my life in Photography in one aspect or another. This has been my life and there has to be a place in this society that can benefit from my experience. I just need time to figure it out.

To those of you who have called and sent emails in support of me. You never really know if you have left a mark in life but this event has illustrated to me "you reap what you sow". I truly appreciate all the kind words. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Sidecar Patriot

Saw this guy on my way to work. Looks like a home made sidecar and an interesting costume.

Dramatic Sunset

Summer storm boils over the Boulder Mountains, Idaho.

Nixon Triptych

From Goldwater to Nixon.

Sen. Barry Goldwater Portrait

See portraits on my web site, http://www.bradarmstrongphotography.com/

This is the late Senator Barry Goldwater. This photograph is currently housed in the National Archives of the Smithsonian Institutions, National Portrait Gallery Washington, D.C. It is featured prominently as the closing photograph to the HBO documentary film Mr. Conservative and has been published in several publications including Arizona Highways. This is the last formal portrait of the Senator prior to his death in 1998.

This is how I made the portrait. I posed him in a profile because his face is so defined by the strength of his bone structure. I have seen him with the bulldog cane prior to the shoot so I asked him to sit with it. That cane is definitive Goldwater that also mimicked his own caricature in the portrait. It was a must for this portrait.

The image was made using an 8 X 10 inch Deardorff view camera with a 360 mm Rodenstock lens and Fuji Provia film. The photograph was taken in the living room of his Phoenix home.

I was given 20 minutes with the Senator, so I had to do some pre-visualization and have all may lights and camera already set up in my truck before I got there. I had 2 assistants to insure things happened efficiently.

This is a three light set up using a Comet 2400-watt power supply. The backlight is high above illuminating the flagstone wall. I used a spot grid on the light to control the spill and added a 1/2 CTO to warm it up. The main light is off to the extreme right using a medium Wafer soft box with a 1/3 CTO inside the box to warm the light. I wanted to rim light him giving the illusion of window light. The third light is just to me left side shooting through scrims to give a little fill. The shadow side of his face is 1 stop darker than the main light.

The 360 mm lens is also called a 15inch lens. This is important when figuring bellows factors. In this case my bellows was racked out to 18 inches. This gave me a 1/3stop bellows factor. This means to get the proper exposure, I had to open the lens 1/3 of a stop due to light fall off inside the bellows. I wanted an f-stop of 22 to give me the depth of field I wanted which was about 1 1/4 inches at this distance. Instead of opening the lens I added power to my lights. My highlight meter reading was F-22 1/3 so my final exposure was 125 @ f-22. Remember this is all hand held metering; there is no chimping with an 8 X 10.

Marshall Trimble Portrait

This portrait of Marshall Trimble was made outside his Paradise Valley home at 2pm in the afternoon. I wanted to create the illusion of a warm sunset with him looking off into beautiful light. This is how I did it.

First, I had to use large scrims overhead to block out the harsh sunlight that was falling on the entrance to his home. The purpose of the scrims is to be in control of the light. Afternoon sunlight in the Valley is way to harsh with extreme contrast. Once I had blocked out the sun, I then moved on to create the light I wanted for the portrait.

I used a Comet 2400 watts power supply with 2 strobe heads. One head was placed behind the wall to illuminate the patio that was in deep shade. I wanted the light to be soft to give it a natural look. I used a medium soft box with a full CTO gel inside the box to warm the light. The second strobe head was the main light source that would illuminate Marshall in the entryway. I used a medium soft box off to the right with a ½ CTO gel inside the box also to warm the light.

The camera was a large format 8 X 10 Deardorff with a 360mm Rodenstock lens. The shutter speed was a 60th of a second with an aperture of f-22. The film was Fuji Provia

Lost Boy Sudan Refugee

Sometimes when photographing people you just need to get close. Look into the face, and the eyes see the texture of the skin. It is an important photograph to the story. It also reveals who this person is on a personal level.

I shot this using a single light set up. One Norman 200B off to one side with an umbrella outside in open shade.